- tzedek mishpat - righteous judgment !!!
This Parasha warns that judges (or magistrates) are not to show any kind of partiality or favoritism.
They are forbidden from accepting a bribe. It is written that God shows no favoritism,
but accepts anyone from any nation who fears Him and does what is right (Acts 10:34)
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Welcome to this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion), which is named Shoftim (Judges)
This is the portion of Scripture that will be read this week during the Shabbat (Saturday)
morning services in synagogues around the world. Please read along with us;
we know you will be blessed !
SHOFTIM (Judges)
Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9; Isaiah 51:12–52:12; Mark 14:53–64
“Appoint judges [shoftim] and officials [shotrim] for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge [shafat] the people fairly [tzedek mishpat / righteous judgment].” (Deuteronomy 16:18)
Last week, in Parasha Re'eh, God set a blessing and a curse before the Israelites. The blessing was a result of obeying God's commandments and the curse of forsaking them.
In this week’s Torah portion, Moses instructed the nation of Israel in the appointing of judges (called shoftim in Hebrew) and law enforcement officers (called shotrim) to administer justice. These judges and officers would not only teach but also interpret the laws of the Torah.
What is the difference between a judge and an officer? A judge refers to one qualified to deliver judgments according to the laws of the Torah. The officer then enforces these legal judgments, even by force if necessary.
The Hebrew prophet Isaiah promised that there would come a day when judges would be restored as in the days of old: “I shall restore your judges [shoftim] as at first, and your counselors [yaats] as at the beginning.” (Isaiah 1:26)
Although Isaiah mentions the judges, the officers do not appear in this prophecy, but rather “counselors.”
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Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Shoftim - Judges the Jewish King
- tzedek mishpat - righteous judgment !!!
Shabbat
Shalom
Welcome to this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion),
which is named Shoftim (Judges).
which is named Shoftim (Judges).
This is the portion of Scripture that will be read this
week during the Shabbat (Saturday) morning services in
synagogues around the world. Please read along with us; we
know you will be blessed !
SHOFTIM (Judges)
Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9; Isaiah 51:12–52:12; Mark
14:53–64
“Appoint judges [shoftim]
and officials [shotrim]
for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is
giving you, and they shall judge
[shafat] the people fairly [tzedek mishpat /
righteous judgment].” (Deuteronomy 16:18)
A Jewish youth wearing tefillin (phylacteries) reads from the Torah scroll,
keeping his place with a yad (Torah pointer).
Last week, in Parasha Re'eh, God set a blessing and a
curse before the Israelites. The blessing was a result of
obeying God's commandments and the curse of forsaking them.
In this week’s Torah portion, Moses instructed the nation
of Israel in the appointing of judges
(called shoftim in
Hebrew) and law enforcement
officers (called shotrim)
to administer justice. These judges and officers would not
only teach but also interpret the laws of the Torah.
What is the difference between a judge and an officer? A
judge refers to one qualified to deliver judgments according
to the laws of the Torah. The officer then enforces these
legal judgments, even by force if necessary.
The Hebrew prophet Isaiah promised that there would come a
day when judges would be restored as in the days of old: “I shall restore your judges
[shoftim] as at first, and your counselors [yaats] as at the
beginning.” (Isaiah 1:26)
Although Isaiah mentions the judges, the officers do not
appear in this prophecy, but rather “counselors.”
A Jewish boy reads the Jewish prayer book at
the Western (Wailing) Wall.
Why will counselors replace the role of officers?
In the days of redemption,
when the Messiah returns to rule and reign in
righteousness, there will be no need for “enforcers” of
the Torah.
In the Messianic era, all will have such a deep desire to
follow and obey the Lord that only counselors will be needed
to explain and clarify (not to enforce) the decisions of the
judges.
Even today (before
that great day of the Lord that is to come) those who are
truly in Messiah do not need external coercion to keep
God’s commandments and judgments.
For when we have been given a new heart and a new spirit,
there arises within us a desire to keep God’s laws and
commandments, not in a spirit of legalism, but out of a heart
of love:
“I will put My Spirit within
you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be
careful to observe My ordinances.” (Ezekiel 36:27)
For those who believe in Yeshua (Jesus) but do not observe
His commandments in the Torah, the question we need to ask is,
“Why not?” Either the person is not truly following Yeshua
and filled with His Spirit, or they have received and accepted
a teaching of false grace which erroneously emphasizes freedom
from guilt over freedom from sin.
Certainly, Yeshua did not pay the ultimate price to set us
free from bondage to sin so that we can continue sinning
without guilt.
"Everyone who sins breaks
the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness."
(1 John 3:4)
(1 John 3:4)
An open Torah scroll
Pursuing
Justice for All
“Do not pervert justice or
show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds
the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.”
(Deuteronomy 16:19)
This Parasha warns that judges (or magistrates) are not to
show any kind of partiality or favoritism. They are forbidden
from accepting a bribe. It is written that God shows no
favoritism, but accepts anyone from any nation who fears Him
and does what is right (Acts 10:34).
Justice has always been a
fundamental value in Judaism; therefore,
it was to be administered without corruption. Difficult cases
could be referred to a higher court that was called the
Sanhedrin in Second Temple times.
"Tzedek, tzedek
tirdof—Justice, justice you shall pursue." (Deuteronomy
16:20)
A thorough
investigation of crimes was required, and in order to
deliver punishment upon a criminal, a minimum of two
credible witnesses were required.
As we shall see, this is why the trial of Yeshua
HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah) was completely unjust and
contrary to Jewish law—and yet it was God’s will that He
suffer and die on the execution stake.
A Jewish young woman buries her face in siddur (Jewish prayer book)
as she prays at the Western (Wailing) Wall.
Who Killed
Yeshua?
The question is often asked, “Who killed Yeshua?”
Usually, the blame is placed upon the Jews, with
accusations of “Christ Killer” fueling the fires of
anti-Semitism over the centuries. But is this accusation
true?
To answer that, we only need to look at the record of
Yeshua’s trial.
Yeshua did not receive a trial by jury. In Jewish law,
the judge would hear and evaluate accusation from two
impartial witnesses.
If two or three witnesses would agree, the judge would issue a conviction; but in Yeshua’s case, the witnesses against Him presented false testimony.
If two or three witnesses would agree, the judge would issue a conviction; but in Yeshua’s case, the witnesses against Him presented false testimony.
“The chief priests and
the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against
Yeshua to put Him to death, but they could find none. For
many were giving false testimony against Him, but the
testimonies did not agree.” (Mark 14:55–56)
Because the testimony of the witnesses did not agree,
the judges could not convict him.
Thus, the Sanhedrin had no other choice but to ask Yeshua
directly if He claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God—a
charge to which He confessed, thereby positioning Himself as
being guilty of blasphemy, which carried the death penalty.
“Again the high
priest questioned Him, ‘Are
You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’
“‘I am,’ said Yeshua, ‘and all of you will see the Son of Man seated at the
right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of
heaven.’
“Then the high
priest tore his robes and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the
blasphemy! What is your decision?’
“And they all
condemned Him to be deserving of death.”
(Mark 14:61–64)
(Mark 14:61–64)
The False Witnesses, by James Tissot (Brooklyn Museum)
This interrogation
essentially reveals that neither the Jewish Sanhedrin nor
the Roman authorities could have killed Yeshua without His
cooperation.
Even some of the Roman soldiers came to believe that
Yeshua truly was the Son of God.
“When the centurion and
those with him, who were guarding Yeshua, saw the earthquake
and the things that had happened, they were terrified and
said, ‘This man really was God’s Son!’”
(Matthew 27:54)
(Matthew 27:54)
So to answer the question of who killed Yeshua, we only
need to look at His
trial to see that He willingly gave the authorities the
“confession” they needed to condemn Him to death.
Yeshua, however, said that He lay down His life of His own
accord—to save us from our sins as the promised Messiah.
He said by His own words, “The
reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life—only to
take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it
down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and
authority to take it up again. This command I received from
My Father.” (John 10:17–18)
The Crucifixion, Seen From the Execution Stake,
by James Tissot
Keeping the Nation
Holy
“You are to be holy to Me
because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from
the nations to be My own.” (Leviticus 20:26)
One purpose God chose a people for Himself was so He could
show the world what holiness looks like. Parasha Shoftim,
therefore, forbids the following:
Idolatry
In the 17th chapter of Deuteronomy, God prohibits
idolatry. Anyone found guilty of this crime would be stoned
to death according to the laws of the Torah upon the testimony
of two or three witnesses.
“On the testimony of two or
three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one
is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.”
(Deuteronomy 17:6)
Why were such harsh
penalties in place for worshiping false gods?
Although in our day, there exists a great emphasis on
human rights and free choice, God's law is concerned with
preserving purity and Godliness.
By purging evil from the nation, holiness was protected.
“The hands of the witnesses
must be the first in putting that person to death, and then
the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from
among you.” (Deuteronomy 17:7)
"Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in
office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give
you the verdict." (Deuteronomy 17:9)
The Occult
All forms of occult practices also carried the death
penalty.
These included many spiritual practices that are
commonplace today and for the most part widely accepted:
sorcery, divination, fortune telling, astrology, wizardry, and
listening to psychics, mediums or those who act as a channel
for spirits of the dead.
God acknowledges that pagans participate in the occult,
but these practices are part of what leads to the
downfall of nations and they are forbidden for any of God’s
people.
Receiving guidance from one’s astrological chart, reading
palms or tea leaves, attending séances or even using Ouiji
boards are not permitted for people of God; nevertheless, many
today (either in ignorance or defiance of the law) read books
about wizards and dabble in the occult.
This is a dangerous spiritual path.
“The nations you will
dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or
divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not
permitted you to do so.” (Deuteronomy 18:14)
Two Jewish men and a boy walk together in Israel.
False Prophets
Lying and deception is another form of evil that
taints holiness.
Israel is warned to beware of false prophets. Only those
whose words come true are to be trusted as true prophets of
God.
“If what a prophet proclaims
in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true,
that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has
spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.” (Deuteronomy
18:22)
Killing and Murder
Cities were set aside as refuge for someone who
killed another unintentionally.
“This is the provision for
the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If
anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having
hated him in the past.” (Deuteronomy 19:4)
However, anyone who intentionally murdered someone had no
right to seek refuge in these cities; he would be removed by
force to be handed over to the avenger of blood to die at his
hand.
The deliberate shedding of innocent blood (murder) carried
the death penalty.
“Show no pity. You must
purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so
that it may go well with you.”
(Deuteronomy 19:13)
(Deuteronomy 19:13)
A Jewish man recites prayers.
Choosing a Holy
King of Israel
“When you enter the land the
LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it
and settled in it, and you say, ‘Let us set a king over us like all the nations around
us ...’”
(Deuteronomy 17:14)
(Deuteronomy 17:14)
In this Parasha, Moses foresees that the people will one
day want a king to rule over them and not a series of judges,
so he gives them guidelines on how to protect their holy
calling under such a system.
The king was to be an Israelite who had not
accumulated many wives or a great deal of gold and silver.
He also had to know and use the teachings of the Torah as
a guide. The king was required to write out two Sifrei Torah (books
of the Torah) and to keep them with him at all times
in order that he remain humble (Deuteronomy 17:14–20).
A bronze statue of King David
Yeshua was acknowledged as the King of the Jews, as was
written on the sign posted over His head at His execution
(Matthew 27:11, 37).
(Matthew 27:11, 37).
He fulfilled all the requirements of kinship. He
was an Israelite, a man of humility who lived a simple life
and taught the Torah. He was the
personification of holiness.
According to a
Messianic prophecy, the Messiah will rule and reign as
King upon the throne of His father David with perfect
justice and righteousness forever and ever.
“For a child will be born
for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will
be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion
will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will
reign on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to
establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from
now on and forever.” (Isaiah 9:6–7)
Although He will physically reign over the Earth from
Jerusalem when He returns, His kingdom is established now in
the hearts of those who are Believers. Those of us who follow
Him understand that He has given us a clear vision of
holiness, bringing the observance of Torah to its fullness.
Because He makes the fullness of the law known, each of us
should be living in righteousness.
"If you know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them."
(John 13:17)
(John 13:17)
When You Come Near to Battle, by David Paul Frederick Hard
Trusting in God for
Victory
In this Parasha, God gives the people the laws for waging
war and maintaining purity in the camp.
Moses tells the people not be afraid of the inhabitants of
the Promised Land while in battle; Adonai will be with them.
Before battle, the Cohanim (Priests) were to encourage the
troops to trust in God.
“When
you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come
forward and address the army. He shall say: ‘Hear, Israel:
Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do
not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified
by them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you
to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
(Deuteronomy 20:2–4)
We also need to encourage the young men and women of the
IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) not to fear Palestinian
terrorists or vast Islamic armies or even the brutal ISIS
hordes.
For just as in ancient times, these courageous
Israeli soldiers do not enter into battle alone but with God
on their side to give them the victory against their
enemies.
We can also rest
assured that no matter what battle we may face, God is
with us and will cause us to walk in triumph in Messiah
Yeshua.
“But thanks be to God, who
in Messiah always leads us in triumphal procession, and
through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him
everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)
Time is short. You can make a difference in these last
days by helping us bring the Good News of Yeshua to the Holy
Land.
"Hear the word of the LORD,
you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: 'He who
scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His
flock like a shepherd.'" (Jeremiah 31:10)
"You will again have
compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl
all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19)
Prayer Alert for the next
63 days: Please pray for Hadas,
that she would have a visitation / encounter with the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and be immersed in the Living
Waters of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).
We believe that Hadas will be a future spiritual leader,
including leading Hebrew worship here in Israel, instrumental
in bringing thousands into a relationship with Adonai.
Please pray for these others here in Israel who need the
same holy encounter with the Messiah as Hadas: Jacky,
Miriam, Haya, Talia, Shmuel & Anav.
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